Grace of Jessica

My niece Jessica wed Jason her college sweetheart on October 11, 2008. It was beautiful wedding weekend including the rehearsal dinner hosted by Mary Ellen and Damien, her parents. What struck most deeply about the week amidst many beautiful and memorable moments was the grace of Jessica, the bride to be. Throughout the events including time at the nail salon with many of her aunts, cousins and grandma Mickey, Jessica's humility and love for all of us was evident. Here was a bride so filled with grace, she made her day abut us. She took pictures of us. Later that evening we were together for the fall themed rehearsal dinner with beautiful white lights, candles and warm cider and Jessica and Jason visited with their priest, their friends and all of us with a gentleness and kindness. Alas, the most evident presence of grace was when Jessica was ready to depart to the church for her wedding ceremony. Jessica and her sisters and mom had prepared themselves, all but getting into their dresses including the bride so the dresses were to be placed into the trunk of the limo. Jessica was in the limo first, sitting calmly, peacefully and truly filled with the grace of God, as her sisters were in flurry of scurry as they gathered all their dresses and required accouterments as her bridesmaids. Never did Jessica seem moved in worry on running late or concern in the least. Her calm presence of mind, body and spirit grounded the sisters and probably the mother. I recall this line from 1 Corinthian's 15:3, "Grace is an attitude of God towards mankind by which He provides a benefit, without consideration of merit." Jessica presented an attitude to all of us and her husband that reflected the love of God to all of us without consideration of merit.